Toy aeroplane



L. J. PERKINS.

TOY AEROPLANE.

APPLICATION man APR- 8, 1921.

1,400,097, Patented Dec. 13, 1921 2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

INVENTOR L. cl Per/r z'ns,

A TTORNEYS L. J. PERKINS.

TOY AERCPLANE.

APPLICATION FILED was, 192:.

Patented Dec. 13, 1921.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 INVEN TOR L JPerlrz'ns,

A TTORNBS WITNESSES UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

TOY AEROPLANE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 13, 1921..

Application filed April 8, 1921. Serial No. 459,552.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LOUIS J. Pnmuns, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Lewiston, in the county of Nez Perce and State of Idaho, have inventedv certain new and useful Improvements in Toy Aeroplanes, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to toy aeroplanes and particularly to the guiding means for the same.

An important object of the invention is to provide a toy aeroplane which may be thrown into the air and which is caused to move in a circle or spiral path when descending.

A further object of the invention is to provide a toy aeroplane having a pair of ballast weights which are automatically actuated when the aeroplane reaches the limit of its upward movement so as to operate the vertical and horizontal rudders.

A further object of the invention is to provide a toy aeroplane having-novel means whereby the same is thrown into the air for a substantial distance with a minimum effort on the part of the operator.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this application and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same,

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view through the improved aeroplane.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the. same, the view illustrating the means for throwing the plane into the air.

Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional view through the aeroplane.

Fig. 4 is a detail sectional view through a guide or barrel embodied in the invention.

Fig. 5 is an end elevation of a slightly modified form of aeroplane.

Fig. 6 is a plan View of the aeroplane illustrated in Fig. 5.

In the drawings, the numeral 5 designates a body which corresponds in shape to the usual body or fuselage of an aeroplane and which is provided at its forward end with a nose 6 having connection with a propeller designated by the numeral 7. The usual upper and lower wings 8 are extended from opposite sides of the body and are connected by means of spaced struts 9.

The body is provided on its upper side wlth a clip 11 which cooperates with the adacent portion of the body to define a V- shaped opening or socket through which the forward end of an elastic or flexible element 12 1s extended. One end portion of the member 12 which may be either elastic or flexlble is provided with a knot 13 engaging one side of the clip so as to hold the flexible element 12 in enga ement with the clip. The other end of the exible element 12 is connected to a rod 14 which is adapted to be swung forwardly by the operator so as to direct the aeroplane into the air. As the aeroplane moves upwardly and forwardly, the knot 13 is disengaged with the clip 7 so that the flexible element 12 is disconnected from the body. When the aeroplane reaches the limit of its upward movement, the nose 6 of the same tilts downwardly and thereby actuates a pair of weights employed for operating a vertical rudder 16 and a pair of oppositely arranged horizontal rudders 17 for directingthe aeroplane downwardly in a spiral path.

The means employed for operating the vertical rudder when the aeroplane reaches the limit of its upward movement includes a lever 18 which is rigidly connected at its rear end to the vertical pivot element 19 which supports the vertical rudder 16. Since the arm or rod 18 which is rigidly connected to the rudder extends for a substantial distance forwardly of the rudder, the movement of the forward portion of the arm either to the right or to the left will result in shifting the position of the vertical rudder. That is to say, the movement of the forward portion of the arm 18 either to the right or left of the aeroplane will result in swinging the vertical rudder about the axis of the pivot element 19 so that the aeroplane will be forced to move in a circular path.

As illustrated in Fig. 3, the forward end of the arm or rod 18 is pivotally connected to a link 22 which in turn has its forward end pivotally and slidably connected to one arm 23 of a lever. The arm 23 of the lever is provided with a longitudinal slot 24 which receives the pivot element 25 at the forward portion of the link. The other arm of the lever is designated by the numeral 26 and is pivotally connected to a pitman rod designated by the numeral 27 The rear portion of the pitman rod 27 has a pivot pin 28 which is slidable within a slot 29 in the terminal portion of the arm 26. The lever formed by the arms 23 and 26 is rotatably supported by means of a pin 30 secured to the lower end of a hanger 32. The arms 23 and 26 of the lever are arranged angularly with relation to each other and are rigidly connected so that when the arm 26 is moved forwardly in a clockwise direction, the arm 23 will be moved in a similar direction for imparting a forward movement to the forward portion of the arm 18. In other words. when the arm 23 is moved in a clockwise direction the links 22 will force the arm 18 to the left and thereby shift the position of the rudder 16.

The forward portion of the pitman rod 27 is provided with a weight 34 which is normally held in the rear portion of a guide barrel or sleeve 35.

The guide barrel or sleeve 35 is secured to one side of the body by means of brackets 36 having its ends perforated as indicated at 38 so that air will not be compressed within the barrel as the weight moves forwardly.

When the aeroplane'reaches the limit of its upward movement, the nose 6 by reason of its increased weight tilts downwardly thereby causing the weight 34 to move to the forward portion of the barrel 35. The forward movement of the weight 34 draws the piston rod 27 forwardly with the result that the lever formed by the arms 23 is rotated in a clockwise direction. As previously stated, the clockwise rotation of the lever formed by the arms 23 and 26 results in the shifting of the rudder on the pivot pin 19.

The means employed for tilting the horizontal rudders 17 includes an arm 40 rigidly connected at its rear end to a transversely extending shaft 41. As illustrated in Fig. 3, the end portions of the shaft 41 are rotatably extended through the rear end of the fuselage and are connected. to the forward ends of the horizontal rudders 17. It will be noted that the transversely extending shaft 41 is the sole supporting means of the horizontal rudder 17. By reason of this construction, the rotation or rocking of the shaft 41 will result in tiltin the horizontal rudder 17.

The forward portion of the arm or rod 41 is connected to the lower end of a link 43 by means of a pivot pin 44. The upper portion of the link 43 is slidably and pivotally connected to one arm 46 of a lever generally designated by the numeral 47. The lower portion of the arm 46 is formed with a longitudinal slot 48 which receives the pivot pin 50 carried by the forward portion of the link 43. A sup orting pin 52 is extended from one side 0 the body and supports a lever 47 for swinging movement.

The lever 46 is formed with a second arm 53 having a longitudinal slot for receiving the pivot element 44 of a pitman rod designated at 55. The forward portion of the pitman rod 55 is formed with a weight 56 which is slidable in the barrel designated by the numeral 57. The barrel 57 is arranged in spaced parallel relation to the barrel 35 on the opposite side of the body from the barrel so that the plane is evenly balanced.

When the aeroplane reaches the limit of its upwardmovement, the nose of course tilts downwardly and thereby causes the weight 56 to advance in the barrel 57 with the result that the lever 47 is rocked about the pivot element 52. The movement of the lever 47 in a clockwise direction moves the link 43 rearwardly and downwardly with the result that the forward portions of the arm or red 40 is moved downwardly.

The downward movement thus imparted to the forward portion of the arm or rod rocks the pivot element or shaft 41 so that the horizontal rudders 17 are tilted. This tilting of the horizontal rudders 17 prevents the aeroplane from making a. straight descent and causes the aeroplane to move to the earth with a gliding action.

In the use of the aeroplane, the cord 12 is detachably connected to the trip 11 by the means described and a forward creeping movement is imparted to the handle 14 so as to direct the aeroplane up into the air.

When the aeroplane reaches the limit of its upward movement the same of course tilts downwardly so that the weights 34 and 56 are advanced so as to tilt the positions of the vertical and horizontal rudders. When the vertical and horizontal rudders are tilted in their positions, the aeroplane is caused to move downwardly in a spiral path so as to return to the starting point or approximately the starting point.

In the form of the invention illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6, the aeroplane is of the monoplane type and is formed with. oppositely arranged wings 62 connected to a body 63. The forward portion of the body or fuselage 63 is constructed to simulate a dra on or the like.

aving thus described the invention, what is claimed is 1. A toy aeroplane comprising a fuselage, a rudder pivoted to said fuselage, an operating rod connected to said rudder, a link pivoted to the forward end of said rod, a lever having a branch pivotally and slidably connected to said link and provided with a slot, a weight having a rod provided with a pin slidable in said slot, and a sleeve slidably supporting said weight, said lever, said rod, said weight and said sleeve being housed entirely within said fuselage.

2. A toy aeroplane comprising a hollow fuselage, vertical and horizontal rudders pivoted to the rear portion of said fuselage, tudinally extending sleeves arranged within rods connected to said rudders, links pii'oted said fuselage and slidahly supporting said to the forward ends of said rods, a pair f weights, the ends of said sleeves being open, 10 levers pivotally and slidahly connected to said levers, rods, links, weights and sleeves said links and having branches provided being arranged entirely within said fusewith slots, weights having rods provided lage.

with pins slidable in said slots, and longi- LOUIS J. PERKINS. 

